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Thursday, August 4, 2011

WJC Development Camp News & Notes

Summer Development Camp for Canada’s National Junior Team is well underway in Edmonton.

The 47 players attending the camp are split into two squads. Both teams practiced yesterday and today at Rexall Place. The two Saint John Sea Dogs participating – defenseman Nathan Beaulieu and forward Jonathan Huberdeau – are both on Team Red.

The Vancouver Giants’ Don Hay is the head coach of this year’s team. Two of his three assistants are George Burnett of the Belleville Bulls and Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets.

HUBERDEAU TALK
There is still plenty of talk about Jonathan Huberdeau making the jump to the National Hockey League this season which would make him unavailable for the tournament.

“Great hands and he rises up when you need big goals and elevates his game,” said Tampa Bay Lightning head scout Al Murray, formally of Hockey Canada, to the Edmonton Journal. “He could have been the first player picked in the draft just as easily as Nugent-Hopkins was. He’s bone-rack skinny but he’ll put on weight. We all get heavier. We’re all living proof of that.”

Huberdeau, selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in June’s draft, has been put on a line with Blue Jackets prospect Ryan Johansen and Senators draft choice Mark Stone at camp.